


In A World...

by CMRandles



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, Book: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Captivity, M/M, Mention of Character Death, Spoilers, Veritaserum, We Got A Whole Lot of History, it's complicated - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-01
Updated: 2016-08-01
Packaged: 2018-07-28 17:19:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7649644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CMRandles/pseuds/CMRandles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Did you deliberately attempt to kill me?” Snape asked, pacing now. </p><p>“Never,” Remus said simply. 	</p><p>Snape sighed, though whether it was from frustration or relief was unclear. </p><p>“I loved you, you know,” Remus said quietly, dreamily. </p><p>Snape froze, so taken aback he quite literally backed away. </p><p> </p><p>**Note: This work contains SPOILERS for Harry Potter & the Cursed Child screenplay. It'll make sense if you haven't read the play, but you need a bit of additional context (below). It's more of a conceptual spoiler than anything, but nevertheless I feel I need to provide a warning right upfront**</p>
            </blockquote>





	In A World...

**Author's Note:**

> So, like I said in the summary this work contains SPOILERS for Harry Potter & the Cursed Child. Understand? Ok, here we go. HERE ARE THE SPOILERS. Proceed with caution. 
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> So, I just finished reading HP&CC last night and had SO MANY feelings. In particular, I was so so so happy to see Snape again even just for a few minutes. I am sure that had I actually *seen* him in the play I would have burst into noisy tears and had to be escorted from the theater. The scenes set in the alternate reality where Voldermort won the war and Harry was killed gave me an idea. This is that idea. Because if one of my favorite characters can survive then damn it *both* of them bloody well can. So, here you go.

Remus Lupin found himself on his knees on the bloody battlefield, two wands pointed in his face. He closed his eyes, lowered his head, readying himself for the killing blow. Soon he would join the others.

“Wait!” a familiar voice shouted. Then, footsteps approaching, added, “That one is mine.”

Relief washed through Remus. His heart raced. Severus Snape was still alive. He looked up, trying to school his expression of joyful hope into one of at least neutrality. If Snape survived it could only mean that his cover was intact and it wouldn’t do for him to spoil that now by cheering at the sight of the man.

Then he took in the expression on the other man’s face. Snape’s expression was twisted with gleeful hatred. Long fingers twisted his wand as though miming what was about to come. A sliver of doubt crept into the werewolf’s heart. Perhaps it had been a game all along.

“We have unfinished business,” Severus drawled, carefully dragging out each syllable.

“You heard our orders - no prisoners,” one of the other Death Eaters argued, pointing his wand more aggressively in Remus’s face.

“You can take up with the Dark Lord,” Snape said dismissively, reaching out and hauling Lupin up by his collar. The werewolf’s body, battered and bruised such as it was, rebelled painfully at the rough treatment.

“Take what up with me?” came a sibilant voice from the edge of their gathering.

Everyone ducked their heads, Snape included. Remus was the only one who dared to look up, to take in the victor of the Battle of Hogwarts. Lord Voldermort stood, hardly worse for the wear, looking incredibly pleased with himself. Nagini coiled herself around his leg. Remus felt a rush of hatred, of rage, but he tamped it down. Being taken by Severus, for good or ill, was his only chance at escape.

“My Lord, Snape is demanding that the werewolf go with him.”

Voldermort regarded his servants cooly. He met Lupin’s gaze for a moment, before the werewolf looked away.

“Consolation prize, Severus?” he asked. “Very well. I suppose you’ve earned it, after today’s victory. And to the victor go the spoils, eh?”

There was a round of nervous laughter.

“It’s a new world starting now and I’d like to see you welcome it with a smile,” Voldermort continued, with a chilling smile of his own. “You may kill the werewolf.”

Remus’s heart seized in his chest.

Snape regarded him with a curled lip. “A quick death is too good for this mongrel.”

“Ah. You’re requesting permission to take your toys home to play with them?”

“Yes, my Lord,” Snape said demurely enough.

Voldermort paused, thinking. Remus held his breath, his very life poised in the balance. He was careful not to look around him at the battlefield where the bodies of his friends, fellow professors, students, and his wife all lay permanently silenced. Snape seemed anxious as well, his thin fingers tight on Remus’s arm.

“Very well,” the Dark Lord said finally, “but make no mistake. I want him dead at the end of it. And I’ll see you first thing tomorrow.”

“Thank you, my Lord,” Snape said earnestly. Then he regarded Lupin with a look of such evil intent it could almost have been mistaken for seduction. A chill ran down the werewolf’s spine.

Voldermort moved on without ceremony, his Death Eaters trailing eagerly after him. Snape renewed his savage grip on Lupin’s arm and Disapparated them both.

They reappeared in the dungeons of Hogwarts, but not a part of it Lupin had ever seen before. It was, in fact, an actual dungeon. With cells and bars and empty stone rooms. Dim lights imbedded in the wall shone a sickly green.

He opened his mouth to ask a question, but was unceremoniously thrown to his knees before he could do so. He looked up at Snape, expecting to see the harsh mask fall away now that they were alone, but saw to his dismay that it was even more intense. He looked back at the empty cell and knew with sinking surety that he was going to die here. Snape backed away a few paces and retrieved a battered wooden chair. He set this in the middle of the room and commanded, “Sit.”

Remus did.

“Your wand,” Snape demanded.

“I don’t have it,” Lupin replied, his voice hoarse. Presumably from all the screaming.

Snape gave him an appraising look, then said, “ _Accio wand_.” Nothing happened. Satisfied, he ordered, “Stay.” Then turned and walked swiftly away down the dark corridor.  

Remus couldn’t have moved from the spot if he had wanted to. It felt suddenly like all of the air had gone out of him, all of the life. Severus, the Order of the Phoenix’s double agent, had been his last chance. His last hope. Now here he was in an empty cell left with only ghosts of all the people he had lost. Tonks. Harry. Oh, Harry. His chest ached and his eyes buzzed with unshed tears at the thought of the brave young man struck down. He was the last one left now and his days would end here, cut short by a schoolroom rivalry he hadn’t even wanted to be part of. There was, perhaps, a dark kind of humor to it, but he didn’t feel much like laughing.

Snape returned with a small vial clutched in the hand not holding his wand. He uncapped it, but before he could approach Remus spoke.

“I know you hate me. I understand all that and you don’t owe me anything. But, please, Severus, for the sake of the Order and everything we tried to do together....just make it fast. I beg of you, just end it.”

The potions master stood quite still, his expression unreadable. “Open your mouth,” he commanded.

Remus did with no argument. Snape approached and measured three drops of the perfectly clear liquid into the other man’s mouth.

“Veritaserum?” Lupin asked, surprised. He was further astonished by his ability to feel anything at all in that moment. “You don’t need it.”

“Shut up,” Snape said curtly, pocketing the bottle. There was a desperation in his expression that spoke to the horrors he had also endured over the last few hours. No doubt his sanity was stretched to the breaking point.

They both remained in silence and waited for the potion to do its work. It didn’t take long. Lupin’s eyes took on a glassy sheen and his gaze became unfocused. Snape bent down, examining him silently. He could smell the blood and death and filth layered upon his captive. The potions master spoke slowly and carefully.

“Did you know what Black and Potter were planning the night they led me to the Shrieking Shack?”

Remus shook his head. “No. I never thought them capable of such a thing. Even after it happened I couldn’t believe my _friends_ would do something so horrible.”

“Did you deliberately attempt to kill me?” Snape asked, pacing now.

“Never,” Remus said simply.

Snape sighed, though whether it was from frustration or relief was unclear.

“I loved you, you know,” Remus said quietly, dreamily.

Snape froze, so taken aback he quite literally backed away.

“When we were boys. You were so dark and mysterious. Of course, I knew I fancied boys even back then, but I wasn’t going to admit it to anyone. Had enough problems, you know. And you were so _fascinating_. I always thought that in a different world we could have gotten together, you and I. But I met James and Sirius first and you did so try to irritate them. And they were my popular friends, the only friends I’d ever had in my life, and even when they found out about me they stuck by my side. And when they hated you, well, it hurt, but I didn’t say a word. Just tried not to pile on. And carried on loving you in secret from afar.”

The Death Eather didn’t talk, didn’t move, didn’t seem to even breathe.

“You loved Lily, Lily loved James, I loved you. Round and round we go,” Lupin said in a tired sing-song.

Given no prompting, he continued blathering. “When I came to work at Hogwarts I had this secret hope that we might be able to bury the hatchet. Be friends. Maybe I could seduce you, even, tatty and underwhelming though I am. Seeing the man you’ve become...well, it was quite a shock. And you were right back to your old tricks, I’m sorry to say. Both of us still children on the inside. You attacking and me avoiding. Should have come at you directly, I suppose. But, that’s just not in my nature. And so you had me sacked and I knew that was that.” He let out a frail little laugh, “But then just now when I saw you, when I knew you were alive. Ah...it was like I felt hope again. You are alive. You’re going to outlive me. It’s terrifically pathetic but I can’t help feeling happy knowing that. Even though you hate me. A part of me loves you even still. How sad.”

Snape had stepped back far enough now that he was almost out of the room. The knuckles on his hand gripping the wand were white. Finally, he twitched his wand and the door to the cell slammed shut with an enormous bang.

“All right,” Remus said tiredly from his chair. “All right. Suppose you’ll just leave me here to waste away. I’d rather you did me in directly, but it’s up to you, isn’t it.”

Snape turned on his heel, robes whirling, and walked quickly away.

  
  


Hours later, sitting in his study with his head in his hands, Severus Snape made a decision. He sat up, stared for a moment into the dancing flames of the fire, and then rose to his feet. He lit a _Lumos_ on his wand and headed back into the dungeon proper.

Remus Lupin, when he spied him, was a pathetic thing. Curled onto himself in the corner, sleeping, though not soundly. He was moaning, his limbs twitching, his head occasionally lashing back and forth.

Snape opened the door, deliberately banging it back and forth. Startled, Lupin jumped and reached instinctively for his wand. Which, of course, was absent. He looked around, his expression one of confusion and fear, then settled on Snape and shuttered his gaze.

“Come along,” Snape said primly, gesturing out of the cell.

“No, thank you,” Lupin said, though he rose to his knees with a wince of pain.

Snape actually laughed. “You’d rather stay here?”

“If it’s all the same to you, I would. I can die in peace here, with no further humiliation.”

Unsure of how to reply, Snape simply crossed his arms and retorted, “I could compel you out.”

“I’m sure you could.”

They stared at one another for a moment, then Remus unceremoniously clambered to his feet. “All right,” he said wearily. “Let’s have done with it.”

He walked past Severus, limping slightly. Snape followed, lighting the way. When they reached the main corridor, Lupin made to walk to the left towards his work room and the classroom. Snape stilled him with a hand on his arm and pointed him the other way, towards his chambers. Lupin narrowed his eyes.

“Don’t be so bloody suspicious, Lupin,” he snapped. “Come along.”

Snape all but dragged the other man into his rooms, shutting and setting wards on the door behind them. Lupin looked around, curious, taking in the books and the worn furniture of the sitting room.

“I haven’t been in here since my sixth year,” he said quietly.

“You’re not staying,” Snape said, pushing him through and into the hall which led to the washroom.

They stopped outside, Remus turning to him with sudden intensity.

“What is all of this?” he asked, refusing to budge another inch. “What do you want from me?”

Snape scowled. “You’re going to argue with a bath?”

“You want me to take a bath before you kill me?” Lupin asked, incredulous. “How long do you intend to draw this out for, Severus? First you drug me and interrogate me about the Shrieking Shack of all things, following which I spill my guts to you and now you want me to _bathe_?”

“I had to know,” Snape said simply. “I didn’t expect you to carry on that way. I needed to know the truth of that night.”

“Merlin’s beard, Severus! Here we are the end of the bloody world and you’re still obsessed with that night.”

It was a poignant reminder to both of them. They stood together, bare inches apart, looking away. Remus’s mind was back on the battlefield, watching his friends struck down all around him. Snape’s was back in their fifth year looking up to find a pair of chocolate brown eyes regarding him from across the library.

“You were always looking at me,” he said.

Remus snapped back to the present, momentarily confused. Then he surprised both of them by blushing.

“I suppose you know why now,” he replied quietly.

“You married a woman,” Severus observed.

“That I did.”

“And fathered a child.”

“Nothing gets past you.”

Snape gave him a hard look. Remus spread his hands and shrugged. “What do you want me to say? We could all die at any moment. I wanted to make her happy. And I’ve always wanted to be a father.”

Snape’s expression of disgust reasserted itself.

“I suppose Teddy will....I can’t even imagine what will become of him, actually,” Remus said, his voice choked with emotion. He looked away at the floor and cleared his throat. Searching for something else to discuss he gazed over his shoulder at the washroom and added, “So, you’re just going to let me go in there by myself and have a wash?”

“Who says you’re going in alone?”

Lupin gasped quietly, then he laughed. It was a good laugh, a healthy laugh. He thought that for a moment he saw the ghost of a smile cross Severus’s thin lips.

“I must say, this is unexpected,” Lupin said quietly.

“ _That_ is because you are a dunderhead,” Snape replied and closed the space between them.

**Author's Note:**

> UPDATE: You guys! I'm officially a published author! Woo! If you want to check out my book you can find it here: https://www.cmrandles.com/books (it's chock full of juicy romance and gay porn, I promise!)


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